News from Senator Liz Krueger

New York State Senate | 26th District For Immediate Release: August 10, 2012 Please Contact: NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Coalition New York Presbyterian Hospital Sen. Liz Krueger Theresa Landau Kathleen Carpenter Andrew Goldston 718.960.2817 646 258-3551 212.568.0502 917.720.7895 landaut@nychhc.org kac9084@nyp.org goldston@nysenate.gov

Senator Krueger, NYC Moms to Take Breastfeeding Underground

NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Council to Host Annual Subway Caravan
New York Today, breastfeeding families, supporters, and health professionals from all over New York City are participating in the NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Council's Annual Subway Caravan. Advocates have held the subway caravan annually since 2004, when a woman received a citation for indecent exposure while nursing her baby on a subway, in spite of laws protecting a womans right to breastfeed in public. The caravan is meant to celebrate breastfeeding families, encourage parents to feed their babies the healthiest first food, and raise public awareness of New York State laws that protect nursing mothers and babies. Breastfeeding families, supporters, and advocates equipped with placards and banners met at 168th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue for an opening ceremony, joined by New York State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) and representatives of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, including Dr. Lorraine Boyd, Medical Director of the Bureau of Maternal, Infant, and Reproductive Health. Encouraging breastfeeding is one of the simplest, best changes we can make to improve public health, said Sen. Krueger, who has championed pro-breastfeeding legislation and breastfeeding families. The health benefits both for infants and for their mothers are not in doubt, and while every mother makes her own decision on breastfeeding her infant, were here today to raise awareness and make the decision to breastfeed an easy one. After the ceremony, the caravan (dozens of breastfeeding mothers, professionals and advocates) traveled on the A train to Bedford-Stuyvesants Restoration Plaza for the Brooklyn Alliance for Breastfeeding Empowerments (B.A.B.E.) day-long breastfeeding celebration. A separate Queens Breastfeeding Alliance caravan will also join the group in Brooklyn. World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is commemorated from August 1st 7th. Each year hundreds of thousands of people from over 170 countries join in celebrating the miracle of mothers milk. This years WBW theme is: Understanding the Past Planning for the Future: Celebrating 10 years of WHO/UNICEFs Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding along with appropriate solid foods should continue up to two years of age or beyond.

Who: NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Council; New York State Senator Liz Krueger; Dr. Lorraine Boyd, Medical Director of the Bureau of Maternal, Infant, and Reproductive Health What: Annual Breastfeeding Subway Caravan When: Friday, August 10, 2012 11:00 AM Where: 168th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue (by the Russ Berrie Health Sciences Center, across from New York Presbyterian Hospital) and the A Subway Line ###

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